Breaking Away From Ordinary

Weird Weekend – Werewolves? For Real?

You’re out hiking in the woods on a late summer evening. The full moon is rising above the distant hills. You can’t see it, but its brilliant silver light spills between the boles of the trees and the world around you is moving light and shadow. The only sound is the rustle of your feet through the small green plants lining the forest floor and the wind sighing through the branches above you.

Off to your left, a bush shakes violently, and with a spray of leaves a massive creature leaps out onto the path in front of you. It hunches on all fours, before slowly unfolding to a two-legged stance that towers over you. The last thing you see as it lunges at you are its wolf-like jaws parting.

I confess. I love the idea of being a shapeshifter. Seriously, how fun would it be to be able to change into another creature? Better than being dead, and still walking around. If I had a choice between becoming a werewolf and becoming a vampire, well, I’d be werewolf all the way. Frankly I don’t care how lively a vampire is, they’re still just a pretty zombie. Enamored as I am of the werewolf mythos, I have always relegated it to the world of make-believe, or at least that it exists purely on the spiritual realm. But what if it wasn’t?

I found this website, The Beast of Bray Road. Linda Godfrey details on her blog and her websites about large creatures with manlike bodies and wolflike heads in rural Wisconsin and Michigan. Multiple sightings, encounters, even a movie was made about these beasts, and Animal Planet talks about them.

Another version of Bigfoot, right? Possibly. But then again, what is Bigfoot? Lots and lots of theories have been put forth, including that these are dimensional creatures, able to shift back and forth between our reality and others. I find these reports interesting, but I have no definitive views either way. I heard Linda on Coast to Coast one night, and the sheer number of sightings was impressive, reported by people from all walks of life. I do think our world is wider and wilder than most people think, and the idea that these wolf-men might actually exist is absolutely intriguing.

Not long ago, I heard David Paulides on Coast to Coast AM. He was discussing his book, Missing 411, which describes mysterious disappearances from national parks. Mr. Paulides has a long history in law enforcement and investigation, and I listened to him detail case after case of people who have gone missing under extremely unusual circumstances. It was a memorable show, but what really stood out was when he described a little girl who went missing. When she was found told of being carried away by a ‘big wolf’ who ‘picked her up in his arms.’ He ‘gave her berries to eat’ and ‘ate her hat.’ Many of those recovered described similar encounters with large beasts. Again, intriguing, compelling but not definitive. I think I’ll have to pick up Mr. Paulides book and get the full story.

What would you do if you ran into a werewolf? Would you want to be bitten? Do you think it possible that some form of this creature could exist in our world?

I agree with you–werewolves over vampires. I am fascinated by those same issues about big foot (now you’ve added werewolves into the mix) maybe transitioning between dimensions. It’s a very interesting concept and goes along with the idea of multiple dimensions (bubble theory, I believe) and perhaps their overlapping from time to time or under specific circumstances. My imagination works hard to figure out the possible connections (smile). Thanks for all those links I will have to check out.

The idea of multiple dimensions/universes, that physics – string theory I think – supports is the coolest thing! While I can’t say “Oh yeah, this is all real” re: Bigfoot, the wolfmen, I like the idea that the mystery exists, and the possibility exists. So many people have had these direct experiences, including you, me and many others I’ve met, that I can’t dismiss them out of hand as ‘just imagination.’ Something is making contact, something is reaching through, something real. What ‘IT’ is exactly, I don’t know. Maybe we never will.

You know, I used to prefer vampires to werewolves, but I have recently changed my mind. Not sure if I’d actually want to be bitten, though, but I wouldn’t mind admiring from afar if they looked like, say, Alcide from True Blood. 😛

I’m a vampire person, but I certainly can appreciate the werewolves (major soft-spot for R. Lupin!!!) but I wouldn’t want to be bitten. I wouldn’t want to be bitten by a vampire, either, frankly – I just can’t stop writing about them! Were I to run into a werewolf well…I would be terrified and probably chewed up for a snack (I can’t run very fast, so no hope here). The TV show Grimm is filmed in my town so the only other “wolf-like creature” I adore is a Blubad (Monroe). I suppose I could be swayed! Stay safe in those woods!

Hee! Don’t say that. I’m so glad we don’t have normal TV, but a subscription to Hulu+ and Netflix streaming. TV is garbage and the amount of commercials (at least in the USA) is horrendous! You don’t want more time to watch TV. You want more time to write for shows/people who will watch YOU! 🙂

I would be absolutely terrified if I ran into a werewolf. The thought of them tearing my flesh makes me gag. Yuck! I have to admit I’m more of a vampire person. Now I may not like the idea of a werewolf taking a snap at me, but if Stefan or Damon from The Vampire Diaries were to look in my direction, I’d tell them to bite away 🙂

This is fascinating. There are so many strange things out there that people are reporting all the time, why not werewolves? 😉 But seriously, I don’t know if I’d want to deal with the wardrobe issue. No, I really don’t think I would. I just don’t have that kind of money or patience. And vampires can hypnotize one into thinking they’re happy about the whole experience. I think I’ll have to stick with vampire. Although, my true choice is actually something all together. I was never very good at picking sides.

What? Blacking out, then waking up naked and miles from nowhere doesn’t sound like a good time? 😉 Yeah, I’m still on the wolfie side. I was really surprised when I heard Linda Godfrey on Coast to Coast a while back. I remember thinking “How cool if there really are wolfmen out there?” I have to admit, I lean toward the inter-dimensional theory in these cases. The reports all indicated these creatures exhibited intelligence; behaviors like camera avoidance were often seen. I guess it’s easier for me to ‘believe’ in dimension-hopping wolf creatures than that intelligent wolf men live undetected in the woods. Same for Bigfoot.

I doubt we will ever know for certain. If the screen accounts are correct, being “bitten” might be a choice on the werewolf’s part of us being a companion or a meal. The bites never look very nice and the change-over seems nasty too. If a vampire exists, I have to believe they really have a soul. If so, then that would be what I would want – except watching “True Blood” makes me think twice.
Scott

Interesting thoughts! A lot of vampire lore and stories mentions specifically that a vampire has lost his/her soul, is damned, or some variation on that theme. But, I’ve read stories that conflict with this view as well. Thanks for reading and commenting! 🙂